Page 15 of Rafi

When she finally shatters, her orgasm rippling through her in waves, she calls my name, her voice raw and unguarded. The sound pushes me over the edge, and I follow her, my release crashing through me as I bury myself in her, holding her as though letting go will destroy us both.

For a long moment, we stay like that, tangled together, our breathing uneven, our bodies slick with sweat. When I finally pull back to look at her, she meets my gaze, her eyes soft but guarded, as though she’s already rebuilding her walls.

I reach up, brushing a strand of hair from her face, my thumb lingering on her cheek. There are no words to capture what just happened between us. It’s unexpected, undeniable, and something I wouldn’t undo even if I could.

And just like that, I know this isn’t the end. For us, this is only the beginning.

10

TAYANA

I’m still riding a dangerous high as I tug my underwear back into place and slide my dress over my head. I don’t think I’ll ever look at this dress the same way again after what happened here tonight, no matter how much time passes.

I just had sex with Rafi Gatti in a public restroom. Not just sex—mind-blowing, soul-shaking, earth-tilting sex. What the hell was I thinking? Was I even thinking?

The raw intensity of it still lingers on my skin, seared into my senses. My back aches from the vanity digging into me, but I can’t bring myself to care. I shift slightly, and the sticky heat between us sends a fresh shiver through me. The memory of him filling me, his hands gripping me like I am the only thing anchoring him to this earth, is enough to make me bite my lip hard enough to split it open.

I glance in the mirror, catching him as he buttons his shirt with deliberate care, like he’s resetting himself piece by piece. He tucks his shirt into his pants, his movements unhurried, as if he didn’t just fuck me so thoroughly I forgot my own name. His reflection meets mine in the glass, and for a moment, the world narrows to just the two of us.

My hand hovers mid-air, the lipstick trembling against my lips. I clear my throat and force a tight smile to cover the chaos spiraling inside me.

“Well, that was…unexpected,” I say, breaking the silence, my voice smoother than I feel.

Rafi’s lips curve into a lazy smirk, and he adjusts his cuffs as if we’re discussing the weather. “Unexpected? That’s one way to describe it.” His eyes flick down, just for a second, and I know he’s picturing the same things I am.

I turn, leaning back against the counter with deliberate nonchalance. “Do you always make a habit of this, or should I feel special?”

His laugh is low, dangerous, and entirely too sexy. “Tayana, you’re many things, butjustanother habitisn’t one of them. Do you always carry around condoms in your purse?”

The air between us shifts, tightening, but I’m not about to let him see how deeply he’s unsettled me. I roll my eyes and ignore his question as I cap my lipstick with a snap. “It was a good night. You’ve officially earned yourself a point.”

“Just one?” He steps closer, his movements deceptively casual, but the heat in his gaze is anything but.

“Don’t get greedy.” I push past him, but his hand brushes mine, stopping me for half a second. It’s subtle, almost nothing, but it sends another jolt through me.

“Don’t act like you didn’t love every second of it,” he murmurs, his voice low enough to vibrate through me.

I glance back over my shoulder, giving him a smirk I hope hides how much he’s gotten under my skin. “Maybe I did. Doesn’t mean I’ll let it happen again.”

He chuckles, dark and knowing. “We’ll see about that, Tayana.”

I walk out first, my heels clicking against the tiles as I steady my breathing and put my armor back in place. But as I step backinto the noise and chaos of the nightclub, I can still feel his eyes on me, branding me.

The vibrationof the club swallows me whole as I stride back to my table, doing my best to look composed. My heart’s still racing, and my legs feel like they could give out at any second, but I keep my head high, my expression neutral. No one can know what happened here tonight. Especially not Cassie. I would never live it down.

She’s already watching me when I approach, perched on the edge of her seat like a hawk spotting prey. Her sharp eyes narrow as I sink into my chair, reaching for the glass of champagne I abandoned earlier, the one that’s so warm it couldn’t pass for water.

“Well, well, look who decided to rejoin the party,”she says, her voice sing-song but laced with curiosity. “You were gone a while.”

I roll my eyes and pick up her drink, letting the bubbles distract me from the heat still curling in my core as I take a sip. “Bathroom,” I say simply, hoping she’ll drop it.

Cassie leans closer, resting her chin on her hand as she studies me like a puzzle she’s determined to solve. “Aha. Bathroom. Sure. And what’s with that look on your face?”

I arch a brow, forcing a casual smirk. “What look?”

She sits back, gesturing dramatically to all of me. “That look. Like you just won the lottery or… I don’t know, like you’ve been thoroughly debauched in a way that is probably illegal in most countries.”

My heart stutters, but I give her a dismissive wave. “You’re ridiculous.”

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